We had our big red carpet Kansas City premiere at the Alamo Drafthouse on Dec 6th… I was as nervous as a person could be, but it went better than I ever dreamed. First of all, the event SOLD OUT!!! I was blown away – but more than that, the Alamo Drafthouse really bent over backwards to make this event special for everyone. Zack and Erica from Atomic Cotton were on hand to celebrate with some T-Shirts and huge smiles, George Hardy flew in from Alabama and the whole cast and crew pretty much joined us for an incredible night! The Kansas City audience has not always been kind to me in the past, since I am from this town they tend to be pretty hard on their own. Admittedly my early movies were pretty damned awful, and many of them I have disowned over the years… but a kid has to start someplace. I was still in my teens when some of those films were done. Still, to see the reaction from the audience was pretty darn astounding! It really seems as if everyone loved the film! Most who I spoke with after the event said it exceeded their expectations. A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders!!! For me, the cast and crew who worked so hard loving the film is the best gift I could ask for. This film may have been my brainchild, and it may have my name on it in many areas, but without the cast and crew, it would not be anything but an idea and a script. They helped me bring it to life. Each person put their stamp on this film, their hearts and souls, their passion and hard work.

Alamo Drafthouse Kansas City Red Carpet Event

As I stood at the back of the theater and watched the crowd and the film with Johnnie Reed, my good friend and gaffer on the film, I could not keep the smile from my face. Everyone jumped at the right spots, laughed in the right places and seemed to really get into the film. George Hardy told me that the film pulled him in and he felt like he was truly part of the group experiencing the horrors as they unfolded onscreen. He said that he forgot it was a film he was actually IN as a star, and just fell in love with the story, getting shocked by the twists and turns and just really enjoying the ride. It blew me away. George Hardy is such a great guy and someone I truly looked up to and enjoyed in not only Troll 2, but Best Worst Movie as well. Adding that to the comments I got from Dyanne Thorne and Howard Maurer in Las Vegas when we won 6 awards at the PollyGrind Film Festival and I truly am on cloud 9 when it comes to the reactions the film is getting. This film is a true homage to the films I grew up loving as a kid, only with a modern spin. Inspired by Italian Horror like Lucio Fulci, Ricardo Freda, Dario Argento, Joe D’Amato and American directors like John Carpenter and HG Lewis… It won’t win the 2013 Academy Award… and it was never meant to. I get bored by most so called “Oscar-worthy” films… with a few exceptions of course! If they gave out Oscars for heard work, passion and love – and a damned good ride at the movies, we’d win! This film is part of my heart and soul. It is exactly what I wanted it to be, a fun movie – it’s heart dripping with Drive In Theater / Grindhouse ambiance and it is 100% authentic. No BS. No trends. No fakes. This one is for real – A modern day Grindhouse style Horror film made by fans FOR fans, made by people who truly LOVE the genre. No ego either – I detest ego… we have all been victim to it at one time or another… what you read here is never about ego – but I will say this: It is about being VERY proud of this film and everyone involved.

Alamo Drafthouse Seating Chart! Sold Out, even had to bring in chairs in the back! Thanks to everyone for a great event!

The cast Q&A went pretty well, considering it was cut short due to the incredible amount of people we had on the red carpet. Pics were taken by Anna Perry, our gifted company photographer… and she did an outstanding job, but there were so many people who wanted to get pics with our amazing cast and crew that it went a bit longer than expected. Of course, no complaints at all, but I was hoping for some more time for audience questions and such. The Q&A was hosted by my buddy Tim Sweeten for his awesome TV show Drive In Movie Maniacs – and he did a fantastic job, he also interviewed the cast and crew on the red carpet for his show and for the documentary about the film and my return to Horror…LOL.

Just an incredible night for us all. Thanks to Ryan and Chance, to Anna and Tim and to the whole cast and crew of House of Forbidden Secrets. It was an honor and a perfect night for all! Thanks to every single person who came and watched the film as well! I was at the door saying Thank You to every person I could as they left the theater after the event and all I saw were smiles and I got a ton of hugs, handshakes and happy reviews. Thank you for giving a damn about our little film and for selling it out. Alamo was proud!!!